Farmhouse Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Tender Farmhouse Slow Cooker Pot Roast is the best way to prepare a beef chuck roast. Only 3 ingredients and this will be one of the most memorable easy meals that you make!

This roast is amazing plain, or vegetables like carrots, onions, mushrooms and potatoes can be added to create a one pot meal.

If you like this recipe you may also enjoy our Shredded Beef Sandwiches for a Crowd.

3 Ingredient Pot Roast Recipe

The key to cooking any pot roast or beef roast is to create fork tender meat that falls apart. Adding a chuck roast, onion soup mix and a can of Coca-Cola or Pepsi to the slow cooker is our favorite 3 ingredient pot roast recipe!

In addition to the pop and packet of dry onion soup mix, sometimes we will also add a packet of Italian dressing seasoning, a Ranch seasoning packet, OR a can of cream of mushroom soup which helps create more of a gravy that’s perfect over potatoes. Using a packet of flavoring is an easy way to add a lot of flavor to your roast.

We appreciate how the soda pop adds a little more flavor just using a cup of water. Any flavor of pop with some carbonation works well in this recipe, so just pick your favorite soda or use what you have on hand.

Also called “Yummy Roast” the best way to enjoy this roast beef is served over Farmhouse Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes or our Creamy Potato Bake made from instant potatoes.

If we know that the schedule is too tight to make mashed potatoes we like to add quartered potatoes into the crock pot to soften and soak up the onion soup mix flavor throughout the day.

When Should the Vegetables Be Added?

Potatoes and onions can be cooked on low or high all day long.

Mushrooms and carrots can be cooked on low all day in the slow cooker. The optimum texture of tender, but not mushy is best guaranteed by adding mushrooms and carrots late morning or mid-day with about five to seven hours of cooking on low remaining.

How to Make Beef Flavorful

Old-fashioned pot roast began by taking a bigger piece of beef or a roast, covering it with water and a lid or foil and baking it for several hours until tender.

We find that the more water or liquid of any kind that is involved the more diluted the added seasonings are. So I strongly recommend only using half of a can of pop to allow the spices in the onion soup mix to stay right on top of the roast all day as it cooks.

This recipe is great when we have host a small group for Bible Study. To make tender beef for a bigger crowd with a similar taste we like to make Brisket in a Roaster.

How to Avoid the Crock Pot Running Over?

There’s been a time or two that I’ve put a big roast covered with lots of potatoes, veggies and liquid in the crock pot for the day while I was away at work.

There are a couple of small holes on top of the lid of my crock pot that allow for steam to release. When the crock is overfilled, especially with liquid the liquid will come out those holes as everything warms up and expands.

So I always try to avoid filling the crock pot more than 75% or 80% full to allow room for expansion of ingredients as they heat up.

I’ve also learned that one cup of liquid is plenty to keep a large pork or beef roast juicy in the crock pot.

What to Do With Leftovers?

The same way that leftover Pulled Pork tastes great on a Loaded Potato Bar, Sliders, Quesadillas, or in Easy BBQ Crescents shredding leftover beef and adding Homemade BBQ Sauce sauce makes these leftovers interchangeable with BBQ pork.

Leftover roast and vegetables also reheats very nicely in the microwave. Be sure to keep a little bit of broth to help keep reheated leftovers moist.

How Long to Slow Cook Pot Roast

The best way to prepare a pot roast is to cook it low and slow. Our favorite method is in the crock pot for at least nine hours on low.

A chuck roast may be done when cooked on high for eight hours, but if you want to add vegetables they will cook better on low.

We have made a few roasts in the Instant Pot and they can become tender, but the timing is less predictable and checking the meat is more difficult. So we find the slow cooker to be much better for making beef roasts compared to the Instant Pot.

How Long to Roast in the Oven

This Farmhouse Slow Cooker Pot Roast can be made with a 3 – 5 pound beef roast that is covered tightly with foil. The roast can be baked in a 350°F oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until tender.

When making roast in the oven I use a full can of pop as opposed to using half in the crock pot.

How Long Does Beef Roast Take in the Instant Pot?

A defrosted beef roast takes 25 to 35 minutes per pound in my Instant Pot Duo. Several of the beef roasts we get from butchering a cow that we’ve raised will not fit in a 6 quart Instant Pot. Most roasts under 4 pounds will fit in our 8 quart Instant Pot without trimming.

A 15-minute natural release must be performed anytime a large piece of meat is made in the Instant Pot. After the natural release, if the roast is not yet tender it must be cooked longer and another natural release performed.

I find with the variation in cooking times between different sizes and brands of electric pressure cookers a slow cooker is much easier to use. The ability to quickly check if the meat is tender so easily makes a crock pot easier to cook a roast with than an Instant Pot

How to Slow Cook Chuck Roast in Crock Pot

Grease crock or use a slow cooker liner and add defrosted beef roast.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours OR on high for 8 to 10 hours.

When the roast can be shredded easily with a fork it is ready to enjoy!

Do I Have to Brown the Beef Roast Before Slow Cooking?

Browning the roast in a skillet with a little bit of oil can enhance the beef flavor in a crock pot roast.

My family has done a comparision of browned meat and meat that was just put directly in the crock pot and we do not notice enough difference for us to justify the extra time and dishes to brown the meat.

Browning meat is a way to slightly improve the recipe for more discerning palates.

More Easy Crock Pot Recipes:

• Crock Pot Mac & Cheese makes a great side dish or main dish for kids.
• Crock Pot Lasagna & Crock Pot Spaghetti are similar and so delicious!
• Crock Pot Swiss Chicken & Stuffing Casserole combines a few ingredients to make an easy meal.
• Country Style Ribs with Mushroom Gravy is a wonderful to enjoy pork and gravy.
• Slow Cooker Bacon Broccoli Chicken from my friends at Recipes that Crock look absolutely amazing!

Printable Farmhouse Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe